126 Falsehoods We Believe About Education

Summary

The website content introduces a book titled "126 Falsehoods We Believe About Education," which challenges commonly held but unexamined beliefs in the educational system, advocating for a critical reevaluation of practices such as grading, resource distribution, and standardized testing.

Abstract

"126 Falsehoods We Believe About Education" is a critical examination of the educational system, authored by Gary Chapin and Carisa Corrow. The book delves into the discrepancies between the stated values in education, such as the equal importance of all children, and the actual practices that often perpetuate inequality. It questions the necessity of traditional grading systems, highlighting that learning has historically occurred without them. The authors, who are educators themselves, aim to provoke thought and discussion about entrenched educational practices that lack empirical support, such as standardized testing and punitive assessment policies. By confronting these falsehoods, the book seeks to encourage educators and policymakers to engage in meaningful conversations and consider alternative approaches that align more closely with the true goals of education.

Opinions

The authors believe that the educational system is built on a set of false beliefs that are rarely questioned, such as the idea that all students are treated equally.
They argue that resources, attention, and discipline are not distributed equally among students, challenging the notion of a meritocratic education system.
The book suggests that grades, which were introduced in the 19th century, are not a prerequisite for learning, as people have acquired knowledge and skills without them.
Standardized tests are criticized for not providing an accurate representation of student learning.
The authors point out that educators often continue harmful practices, such as out-of-school suspensions and grading penalties for late work, despite recognizing their flaws.
The text implies a need for educators to critically examine and potentially overhaul traditional assessment methods, emphasizing a more collaborative and less punitive approach.
The tone of the book is described as mildly snarky, indicating a humorous yet incisive critique of the status quo in education.
The goal of the book is not to assign blame but to foster a necessary dialogue that challenges conventional wisdom and encourages change within the educational landscape.

“Writers should menace the conscience of society,” Rod Serling

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Have you ever heard yourself say something, and then realize that your behavior indicates that you believe the opposite? There are agreements we make with one another to “look the other way” or “not rock the boat” when the truth would question the delusion called “meritocracy” that undergirds our schools. These agreements are based on beliefs that are dominant, often unspoken, and false. They are a product of the way we think about things and the way “we have always” thought about such things. For example, we say the following.

Falsehood: All kids are equally important

But resources, time, attention, esteem, and discipline are distributed in a very unequal way, and not by accident. Or we say,

Falsehood: You have to give grades

When human beings throughout history and the world have learned amazing amounts of knowledge and skills without ever being given a grade. (The first grades were given in the early 19th century and people thought it was weird.)

This book is about such false beliefs.

In our years of working with teachers, schools, parents, and kids, we’ve seen actions taken and policies pro-posed that are based on beliefs that simply do not bear up under scrutiny.

As educators, we know this. We are usually a curious, questioning group. If you ask an educator why they would have policies calling for out-of-school suspensions, for example, or grading penalties for late work, they might try to justify these. But most often they will immediately see where that line of questioning is going and acknowledge that it’s a pretty messed-up thing to do. And yet we do it.

Falsehood: Standardized tests tell accurate stories about our kids’ learning

Why don’t we interrogate those practices that do not bear up under scrutiny? The question may answer itself. If we question these practices, then we might have to stop doing them, and then what? Chaos! Anarchy! Cats and dogs playing cards together! Classrooms where you don’t know, to the second decimal point, what order your kids should be praised in! Whatever we say about our beliefs — whatever we profess — our actual beliefs are apparent in our actions.

Falsehood: Teachers give assessments. Students take assessments

In the book, we interrogate falsehoods we believe — and we include ourselves in that “we” — about curriculum, instruction, assessment, grading, and kids. Our thinking will be critical and our tone might — just might — be mildly snarky. Provocation should be fun, even as it pushes you to test things that you might consider “settled.” Our goal is neither to point fingers nor to pat ourselves on the back, but to make sure that the conversation that has to happen, happens.

126 Falsehoods We Believe about Education is available at educatingforgood.com as a softcover, e-book, and audiobook. Feel free to reach out to us with questions or inquiries.

We wrote a book

126 Falsehoods We Believe About Education

“Writers should menace the conscience of society,” Rod Serling